Culinary Heritage

I’m not an expert cook, so can you share a recipe a normal young person can cook. I looked up a few recipes”easy gourmet” recipes and I’m not ready or capable of tackling a recipe with 37 ingredients and 49 different steps.

I’m a 21-year old girl who wants to cook her amazing GF a really good chicken dish. Her mom overcooked all meats (that’s how her dad liked it lol). So her thoughts on chicken are “boring and dried out.”

Any delicious recipes that do not require me ordering speciality ingredients online and then eight hours of cooking?

Thank you in advance for your help.

PS - not a big fan of onions or super spicy things. Thanks.

I started gardening this year and sowed two zucchini seeds just to see what would happen. And now my fridge is filled with about 15 zucchini and I have another 4 currently growing with no signs of stopping yet. I don’t know why I did this because I can hardly think of making one thing with zucchini. I hardly ever eat it though I do like it.

So I’m hoping to hear all of your favourite ways to use zucchini in your cooking! Thanks in advance!

I cook rice and beans probably four times a week. Pasta with whatever vegetables are about to turn the other days. It works but everything ends up tasting the same and I got tired of it.

Recently started picking up random condiments when I spotted them cheap, grabbed gochujang, chili crisp, MSG, tahini, sesame oil from different sale events on tiktok over a few weeks. Most had a decent price cut and they're still half full months later because a little goes a long way.

So far what's been working for me:

Gochujang: chicken thighs in the oven with gochujang, soy sauce, bit of honey. Also mix a small spoon into cream cheese for bread when I'm too lazy to cook.

Chili crisp: fried egg topping every morning. Goes on buttered toast, instant noodles, leftover rice fried up with whatever is in the fridge.

MSG: tiny pinch in soup, pasta sauce, any stir fry. Makes everything taste like you tried harder than you did.

Tahini: thin it out with lemon juice and water, drizzle over roasted vegetables or use as a lazy salad dressing with a bit of mustard.

These completely changed how I feel about cooking the same cheap ingredients every week. What are yours? Looking for more stuff that punches above its price.

It's about a million degrees out so I thought I'd make some sherbet, but I'm definitely not using 2lbs of lemons for just that (there's only 2 of us in the house.) You smarties have any fun ideas for other lemony treats?

🩷

I’m talking the sound of the crunch sounds like it could cut something. Like 2010 KFC cut-the-roof-of-your-mouth thick crispy coating. I want it to sound like I’m eating Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Cap’n Crunch.

What breading/batter & method? (I’m assuming deep fry)

When I was little my local Costco would sell bulk pre cooked quinoa bowls I believe the were the minsley brand. I loved it, I could eat it daily. however the Costco stopped supplying it a long while back and now any precooked quinoa bowls I can find at stores are sold per bowl and extremely expensive. however Dried quinoa is cheap and often sold in bulk so I figured I'd just by it Dried and cook it myself. I've followed instructions online, rinse it, roast slightly for a few minutes, boil in water, leave to simmer and absorb, and then let it sit and steam before fluffing. but the quinoa tastes so different compared to the bowls. and I'm wondering what I can do to make it taste the same. ​I've looked online at the precooked bowls I would eat and they dont have any extra additives listed in the ingredients other than a glucose based chemical which I imagine is a preservative. I really miss the taste of the quinoa and surely I can make it the same way I just dont know how. I've done dry tricolor quinoa, and dry white quinoa, the different quinoas doesnt seem to change the odd flavor profile. am I not rinsing well enough? I know it's not brand specific because I've caved and bought the single packaged precooked bowls, all from different brands, and they've all tasted as good as the bowls Costco used to supply. I dont know, if anyone has some advice please share.

I’m on the hunt for new-ish products (ingredients, tech, cookware) that has changed your cooking for the better — more efficient and/more delicious. Please share!

Hi everyone, I am 16 and have been very interested in maybe becoming a cook in a restaurant as my job in a few years. I've also had the idea to eventually go to culinary school bc I'll be done with middle school in 2 years. So basically, I've been watching these interviews with chefs (especially Bourdain and Marco Pierre White) and Anthony Bourdain answered to a question that before people should enroll in culinary school, they should work in a busy restaurant for a month or so to see if its something for them.

I've proposed this idea to my parents and they're both on board with it but my dad doesn't really think that I'll do anything but dishwashing.

Is this true and do I need any real qualifications to cook as an apprentice and is this even a regular thing in the business or no? let me know!

Here's a twist on the "recommend a gadget" request.

I got a $150 gift card to Williams Sonoma. It's pretty thoughtful because I cook a lot. The only problem is that I think I have most of the kitchen gadgets I need or want. An incomplete list of my gadgets includes: sous vide cooker, vacuum sealer, fat separator, scale, micro plane grater, instant pot, air fryer, new y peelers, new mandolin, good blender, good coffee grinder. I think my go-to cast irons, spatulas, chefs knives, dutch oven, sharpening stones, and cutting board will outlive me. I'm at the point where I have accumulated pretty good gear and don't have space or want for much more. I think I have most of the "single use but great when you need it" items.

The things I might want include a cool wine opener, a new cocktail shaker, a new bread knife (old knife is dull but I'd rather get a sharpener for it) and a new digital thermometer, none of which have stellar reviews from Williams Sonoma. I also might get a yogurt maker; I stopped making yogurt in the instant pot because it was all tasting like meat and spices and I might get back to that.

Any off the wall suggestions are welcome!

EDIT- It’s only an 8 x 8. I just unboxed it and it’s the cutest little thing.

I have a brand new electric skillet that has a lid and I’ve been meaning to open for the past couple of years. What are some things that y’all have cooked that aren’t weird but you never would have thought that you can cook it in a skillet?
Looking for inspiration.

This is not a terrible problem to have—but, through a series of misunderstandings—I have eleven 8oz containers of mozzarella pearls that go bad August 30th.

I’ll be using them in dinners/appetizers as much as possible over the next few days but am also looking for some recipes I could use them in and then freeze as the school year gets started for easy dinners in the weeks ahead.

I’ve never used mozzarella pearls in lasagna but that seems like one option, along with baked ziti.

Any other ideas? Thanks!

ETA: Big thank you for all the suggestions! I’m falling a bit behind but these are all so helpful, thanks again!!